This Day in Rock History: March 13
In early 1964, the Beatles were a hot group, selling millions of records worldwide. On March 13, Billboard magazine reported that Beatles singles comprised 60% of record sales in the U.S. By the end of 1964, the band had sold an eye-popping 40 million records. The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time. Do you want to learn more about this day in rock history? Keep reading to discover interesting facts and trivia about rock music from March 13.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
If you haven’t heard or heard of these breakthrough hits and milestones in rock music from March 13, you may need to investigate:
- 1963: “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” by The Four Seasons hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for three weeks. A successful band in the ’60s, The Four Seasons is the only group to have a No. 1 hit before, during, and after the Beatles’ era.
- 1965: The Beatles made it to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the seventh time in a year with the song “Eight Days a Week.” It stayed on top for two weeks.
Cultural Milestones
These cultural milestones happened on March 13 and had a major impact on the rock music industry:
- 1965: Due to creative differences in music styles, Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, later joining Cream before starting a solo career. He wanted to maintain a bluesy sound, whereas the Yardbirds wanted to make pop songs.
- 1987: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although he’s originally from Michigan, Bob Seger recorded in Los Angeles, inspiring his song “Hollywood Nights.”
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable recordings and performances in rock that took place on March 13 include:
- 1966: At the Marquee Club in London — an important venue that helped launch careers for many great ’60s bands — Pink Floyd played for the first time. This was the first in a series of events known as the Spontaneous Undergrounds, where attendees began referring to Pink Floyd’s sound as Acid Rock.
- 2013: Jimi Hendrix’s posthumous album “People, Hell & Angels” was released and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. This was his highest-charting album since 1969.
Industry Changes and Challenges
With these historical rock music industry changes and challenges on March 13, the genre shifted direction:
- 1960: Bassist for U2 Adam Clayton was born in Oxfordshire, England. As an original and co-founding band member, Clayton has recorded 15 studio albums with U2.
- 2006: Publicly and abruptly, the Sex Pistols declined to attend their induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. In their letter declining the invitation, the band called out the event for being exorbitantly overpriced.
When you’re listening to your favorite rock tunes, think of these moments in history. Without them, the rock music genre wouldn’t be what it is today.